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Vander Byrne
"Get out. I don't give a shit if you're my mother- you sure as hell didn't act like one when I needed you. Where were you when I was eighteen and alone in the city, working to fix what was broken? Where were you when my sister was alone and crying in the gutter, without anyone to protect her, because you put your hands on her? You're not my family- you're a toxic influence, and I'm cutting you out of my life. Now get. Out." Vander, to his mother. Vander is the brother of Taerlyn Byrne and a supporting character in the second arc. Biography Vander was born in Nmon Lau to Nainoxu, an Ursisan shopkeeper, and Lóegaire, a Scottish immigrant. His parents had a strained relationship with each other and often competed with each other over Taerlyn and Vander's affection towards them. However, because the parents were more concerned with surpassing each other than actually watching over their children, the two siblings grew much closer with each other than either of their parents. As a boy, Vander was drawn to drawing and design and often ran afoul of the local police for his graffiti. As a teenager, he was hired for an amateur job where he did the logo for a starting company, and over the next few years, he earned a steady report as a talented young designer. When the Bombing of the Capital occurred, Vander was uprooted from the life he knew and moved to Wales, which he actively resisted. As soon as he turned eighteen, he moved back to his homeland and started life as a graphic designer. He worked for several years with the Crownsguard, first with their logo and then with several informational videos about the warning signs of human trafficking. Seven years passed without communication from his family, as his mother made no effort to contact him and his father had him blocked. When he received a call from his mother that Taerlyn had a mental breakdown, he insisted that his sister come home and recover, which she eventually accepted. He spent the next several months supporting both him and his sister, exhibiting endless patience through various breakdowns, panic attacks, and depressive episodes. The two rekindled their old friendship, especially once Taerlyn realized that she and her brother had been abused throughout their childhood. When Taerlyn was finally capable of holding a job, Vander suggested the Crownsguard, and she took the option. As Taerlyn grew closer with Arusa, Vander noticed that his sister seemed happier and healthier, and was relieved to know that she was recovering- that is, until she was kidnapped. He spent a few frantic weeks looking for his sister, barely getting any sleep and having only the shoulder of a stranger to lean on. When she was eventually recovered, he spent nearly every moment at her bedside and insisted she stay at his apartment while she was rehabilitating. It was only her refusal to be separated from Arusa that eventually led him to admit his sister could be on her own. For the next few years or so he became a regular presence in the household, and a favorite uncle of his niece, Andrea. At one point, his mother came to visit him, but he responded with hostility and told her, in no unclear terms, that she was no longer his family and that he wouldn't let her in his house. To this day, Taerlyn remains unaware of the argument. Personality Vander is a calm and capable man who is respected by the community around him. He has repeatedly been a source of advice or information for those around him, and his opinion is so heavily respected that his public disdain for Chloe was enough to turn the people around them against her. Relationships Taerlyn While the two siblings had a strained relationship in their teen years, in the last five years the two have reconnected, and are very affectionate with each other. Vander is often described as his sister's keeper, and when she was going through emotional rough patches he was often there to pick her up. However, he also acknowledges the fact that Taerlyn is an adult now, and won't interfere in her decisions unless it poses an immediate and severe danger to her or others. The two recently had an argument over Vander's coddling of Taerlyn, which led to him realizing that he treated her Nainoxu In his childhood, Vander desperately wanted his mother's approval, and when he couldn't get that from her he started to act out in order to get any attention whatsoever. In his adulthood, after seeking out therapy, he realized that the way she treated him was abusive. Though he would have been inclined to make amends with her after that, it was the reveal that his mother had shaken and shoved Taerlyn that he burnt his bridges with her. To this day, he refuses to speak with her, and any letters he receives from her are thrown in the recycling bin. Arusa Vander and his sister-in-law are not particularly close, but when they do interact they have a casual, easy friendship. Andrea Vander enjoys spending time with his niece, and he is her go-to babysitter when something comes up. He has a great deal of patience for her and often allows her to do things he wouldn't accept from others, such as eating sweets before dinner or watching more television than is normal. Andy, too, appreciates spending time with her uncle and will take care of him when he's busy working, including making him food and fetching him water bottles. Trivia * Vander seems to exhibit signs of a recovering addict, as he chews mint gum obsessively and has a great deal of distaste for both alcohol and illegal drugs. When offered a blunt by a well-meaning stoner he nearly had a panic attack, and had to spend the next half-hour outside in the wind. * His favorite color is an autumn gold, his favorite book is The Wee Little Men, and his favorite meal is peanut soup with garlic bread. Category:Characters Category:Supporting Characters